umm... $5000 dr. fee????????

[ichatter 0]

Hi Guys!

Well reding on this website, i got the impression that the Dr's in the states were a bit more pricey then the Dr's in Mexico, but i thought most people said their surgery was between 8-12,000. Okay, im freaking out.. I live in Orlando, FL but will travel anywhere in FL or GA for a good Dr. and i have Aetna PPO. I am going for my first appointment with the nutritionist next week to start my 6mo. diet so i still have time to find a good surgeon, but this price thing is killing me. I spoke with a Dr. Beltre's office in Orlando and they said that the total cost is $15000. In general that isnt awful as my insurance will pay 90%. HOWEVER, they are saying that the hospital portion totals around $10K, but he has an extra $5K fee that doesnt take insurance! Is this normal??? I mean thats almost $6K out of pocket! I am curious what other people have done, when i asked they said that most doctors don't take insurance, which sounds like pure bologna (or so i hope...) help please! Im just out from under my mothers wings, and i am kind of at a loss as to where to go next...

Nicole

You can also IM me on AIM at ICHATTER:cursing:

[kaninag 35]

OUCH thats alot!! I had a dr's fee too but it was only $600. Actually, you know what...My insurance pays 80% plus I had to pay my deduct. I have only paid the dr $700 so far...and that included my $400 deduct. so I guess my doctors fee was only $300!!! And then I had to pay the hospital like $120 upfront since my insurance only paid 80% but thats all I have paid and I am 2 weeks out...No bills coming in yet

Maybe you should shop around. I live in Alabama so I dont think you'd wanna travel that far. Good luck to ya!!

[mgordon1 0]

One doctor I was going to used was charging an additional fee "$5,500" on top of my $3,000 insurance deductible. I actually got a referral to another doctor which does not charge a "fee". I have had my surgery and everything is going fine. I am glad that I changed to another physician.

[Lana24 10]

I can totally relate to that, the doc I wanted charged a program fee of 2850... if I had gone with her I would have ended up paying about 7-8,000 total. So I found a new doc, his program fee is $500 but it goes toward my balance after my insurance pays. I think it is unethical for the docs to charge so much in addition to what insurance will pay...you can also look under "program fees" and see what other people have posted. Good luck.

[kathystrick 3]

My program fee was $500, but that included meeting with the nutritionist, a customized exercise plan, and psychology consultation. There is another hospital in the area that doesn't charge the fee, but you have to pay for all the other stuff, so I thought it all evened out in the end.

[LynneB 0]

My Dr charges a $2900 program fee, plus $250 initial consult fee, plus my deductible and %20. My total will be over $5,000 out of pocket.

[Angie4b1g 1]

Wow, mine was $400 and included the nutrition classes, psych consult, etc. $5k is nuts!

[ColoradoChick 33]

My doctor charges a $2550 program fee. My insurance covers the surgery except for a $50.00 co-pay. I would already have the procedure scheduled except I dont have the cash for the program fee. I called all of the doctors I could findinthe Northern Virginia area and they all charge fees around $3000 for their program. I dont understand it at all - why dont they charge insurance for after visits? I pay hundreds per month for health insurance! It is frustrating.

[Lana24 10]

Hey Coloradochick,

I totally felt the same way, by the time I would have been done paying my doc it was equal to a cash pay in Mexico without the vacation! So I changed, but I know everyone does not have that choice...sorry

[Shadow08 1]

I jsut got pricing today....$6000 for dr fee and 17700$ total fees! YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vucarre 0]

You really have to shop around. In Charlotte, a Dr. I am considering requires a $1200 program fee. He requires nutritionist, psych eval with some special 166 question test that costs $120 to score, body fat analysis, & exercise plan. Even self pays have to pay this fee and insurance cos. do not cover these items. I would imagine there is some benefit -- but I think these things can be done less expensively elsewhere. But, for me, I don't care what it costs -- I am getting the band.

[Marimaru 7]

I would go farther away to find a doctor that didn't have an outrageous program fee. If I couldn't find one, I'd probably look into the legality of it and see what I could find.

[JaxBandster 11]

My surgeon's fee was $5,000 and the surgical center was $8,500, anesthesiologist was $250, program fee (whatever that is) was $500. Total was about $14,500. I was self pay however. Don't know why the $5,000 wouldn't be covered by insurance. Does your doctor not use any insurance companies?

[ColoradoChick 33]

The program fee my doctor charges is over and above the surgery fee. My insurance pays for everything. I asked what the program fee was and it is a charge for the brochures, 3 months of fills, support group and their time in getting the insurance to approve the surgery. I think it is a racket but all three of the doctors charge 2550 to 3550 in a program fee. What can you do but pay it if that is the only way they will do the surgery? My doctor has to have the non-refundable program fee paid 10 days prior to the surgery date.

[Angie4b1g 1]

3 months of fills is a racket if it starts from the day of surgery :thumbdown: